Cristiano Ronaldo had not issued any new public statement as of Tuesday regarding Lionel Messi’s retirement from the Argentina national team, though the Portuguese star’s decade-old response to Messi’s first, short-lived international retirement in 2016 has resurfaced widely across sports media in the days following Messi’s announcement.

Messi, 39, announced Monday that he was stepping away from Argentina’s national team after 21 years, closing out an international career that included the 2022 World Cup title and finished with 125 goals in 207 appearances, making him the country’s all-time leading scorer. The announcement came weeks after Argentina’s runner-up finish at this summer’s World Cup and shortly after the death of Messi’s father and longtime agent, Jorge Messi, on Aug. 8.

While Ronaldo has not commented directly on Messi’s latest and final retirement from Argentina duty, multiple outlets covering the story this week, including NewsX and India.com, have republished remarks Ronaldo made in 2016, when Messi first announced he was quitting international football following Argentina’s penalty-shootout loss to Chile in that year’s Copa America Centenario final. At the time, Ronaldo, then preparing to lead Portugal in the Euro 2016 semifinals, offered a sympathetic response to his longtime rival’s decision. “Messi has taken a tough decision, and people should understand,” Ronaldo told the Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo at the time, according to Sky Sports. “He is not accustomed to defeats and disappointments, not even finishing second. Missing a penalty does not make you a bad player.”

Ronaldo went further in that 2016 interview, expressing hope that Messi would eventually reconsider the decision. “It hurts to see Messi in tears and I hope he returns to his country, because he needs it,” Ronaldo said at the time. That hope proved well-founded: Messi reversed his 2016 retirement within weeks, returning to Argentina’s squad in time for World Cup qualifying matches later that year, a decision that ultimately set the stage for the international trophies, including the 2021 and 2024 Copa America titles and the 2022 World Cup, that followed over the subsequent decade.

The Messi-Ronaldo rivalry has stood as one of the defining storylines in men’s soccer for nearly two decades, with the two players trading Ballon d’Or awards and record-breaking statistics throughout their overlapping careers at Barcelona and Real Madrid, and later at Inter Miami and Al-Nassr, respectively. Despite the competitive intensity between the two, moments of mutual respect and sympathy, like Ronaldo’s 2016 comments, have periodically surfaced throughout their careers, feeding into a broader narrative among fans and commentators about the genuine regard the two rivals have held for one another off the field.

Ronaldo, 40, continues to hold the outright lead over Messi in career international goals, having scored 146 for Portugal compared with Messi’s 125 for Argentina, and he has given no public indication that he intends to follow Messi into international retirement anytime soon. Messi briefly held the record for most career World Cup goals during this summer’s tournament before finishing one goal behind France’s Kylian Mbappe in that specific tally, according to figures reported by Yardbarker.

As of this report, neither Ronaldo nor his representatives have issued a fresh statement specifically addressing Messi’s Monday retirement announcement, and outlets covering the story have relied entirely on the resurfaced 2016 remarks to frame Ronaldo’s historical perspective on his rival stepping away from international competition. Should Ronaldo choose to comment directly on Messi’s latest and, this time, seemingly final departure from the Argentina national team, any such remarks would mark the first time in nearly a decade that he has publicly addressed Messi’s relationship with international soccer.

TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. shares rose about 1.2 percent in New York trading Tuesday, reaching $198.93, as investors weighed hybrid demand, a record buyback and lingering tariff risk on vehicles built in Canada.

The American depositary receipts gained $2.39. The session range ran from the high $198s toward $200. Toyota remains well below its 52-week high near $249 and above a low around $166. The group’s market value is in the mid-$200 billion range on the New York listing.

The tape follows first-quarter fiscal 2027 results reported Aug. 4. For April–June, Toyota posted net income of about 1.48 trillion yen, or roughly $9.4 billion, up about 76 percent from a year earlier. Sales revenue was about 13.5 trillion yen. Consolidated unit sales were little changed near 2.39 million vehicles. A weaker yen helped the translation into dollars.

Management raised its view of full-year consolidated vehicle sales to 9.7 million from 9.6 million and lifted operating-income guidance. It also authorized a share repurchase of up to 1 trillion yen, about $6.4 billion, the largest in company history, and said it would cancel 200 million treasury shares. Tokyo trading still faded after the print because the new operating-profit target sat below some analyst forecasts, and because an earthquake near a Lexus plant in southern Japan was not fully in the numbers.

The strategic story is hybrids. Electrified vehicles — mostly hybrids, plus plug-in hybrids and battery-electrics — accounted for 55.3 percent of Toyota and Lexus retail volume in the April–June quarter, up from 47.4 percent a year earlier. Hybrid sales rose. Battery-electric volume more than doubled from a small base. Toyota said it plans to sell more than 5 million hybrids in calendar 2026 for the first time and will convert Japanese lines to next-generation hybrid batteries from 2027, with annual output aimed at about 600,000 vehicles in 2027–28.

In the United States, electrified models have overtaken pure gasoline mix in some monthly tallies. That multi-path approach has looked more durable than a battery-only bet while charging networks, incentives and raw-material costs keep shifting.

Tariffs are the offset. Toyota said U.S. tariffs cut about 1.4 trillion yen from fiscal 2026 results. In its year-end summary the company wrote: “Despite the impact of U.S. tariffs (-1.4 trillion yen), we secured profits consistent with our guidance due to increased vehicle sales volumes and the effects of price revisions underpinned by strong product competitiveness, as well as steadily accumulated improvement efforts such as expanded value chain revenues.”

A new threat is a possible jump in U.S. duties on Canadian-built vehicles, discussed in Washington as a move from 25 percent toward 50 percent unless a deal is reached. Canada supplied about 17 percent of Toyota’s U.S. vehicle sales last year. The company has pledged further U.S. investment, including a planned Texas plant measured in the billions, but plants take years. Duties can change on a calendar date.

China remains a soft spot. Group sales there have fallen as local electric brands take share, even as some joint-venture battery models find buyers. July global retail was reported lower year over year. Middle East disruption has also trimmed volumes in some months.

Leadership has been urging a return to shop-floor cost work. In remarks around the latest results cycle, executives argued the company must cut costs at worksites, not only manage figures on paper, and return to Toyota Production System basics.

Valuation is not stretched versus global peers. The ADR trades at a high-single-digit trailing earnings multiple and a mid-teens forward multiple, with a dividend yield near 2.7 percent. Analyst targets compiled by market-data services cluster around the low $230s.

Tuesday’s modest gain does not resolve the Canada question or restore China. It does show buyers still pay for a manufacturer that can sell more than 10 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles a year, fund a trillion-yen buyback, and let hybrids carry the electrified mix while battery cars scale more slowly. The next tests are tariff headlines, monthly U.S. and China sales, and whether the first-quarter profit surge holds once currency and one-time items fade.

For now the stock is a hybrid of its own: cheap enough on earnings, exposed enough on trade policy, and still the default name when investors want volume in cars that sip fuel instead of waiting on a charger.

Kawasaki has launched its 2027 model-year Ninja 500, introducing a new Lime Green paint scheme as the headline change while leaving the entry-level supersport’s engine, chassis and equipment list essentially untouched from the outgoing 2026 version.

India Kawasaki Motors Pvt. Ltd. rolled out the updated model with an ex-showroom price of 5.76 lakh rupees, unchanged from the previous model year, according to multiple outlets covering the launch, including DriveSpark and BikeDekho. Dealership bookings opened immediately at authorized Kawasaki showrooms, with customer deliveries scheduled to begin during the final week of August.

Mechanically, the 2027 Ninja 500 continues to be powered by the same 451cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC parallel-twin engine found in the previous generation. Power and torque figures have varied slightly across different outlets’ reporting, with DriveSpark citing 44.77 brake horsepower and 42.6 newton-meters of torque, BikeDekho reporting 45.4 metric horsepower with the same torque figure, and BikeAdvice citing a higher 51 brake horsepower at 10,000 rpm alongside 43 newton-meters of torque, a discrepancy that appears to reflect differing measurement standards used across regional markets rather than an actual change to the engine itself. The motor remains paired with a six-speed gearbox and an assist-and-slipper clutch designed to lighten lever feel during everyday riding and reduce rear-wheel hop under aggressive downshifting.

Yutaka Yamashita, managing director of India Kawasaki Motors, said the updated model reflects the company’s continued commitment to the Ninja lineup’s core identity within the Indian market. “The MY27 model continues to double down on the core Ninja identity, delivering high-grade design and approachable performance tailored directly to Indian riding conditions,” Yamashita said, according to a report from IAmABiker.

Visually, the new Lime Green colorway pairs Kawasaki’s signature racing hue with contrasting white and blue graphics, joining the returning design elements that have carried over from the previous model year, including twin LED headlights up front, a slim tail section and a side-swept exhaust. The 2027 model continues to use a full LCD instrument cluster featuring a bar-style rev counter wrapped around a digital speedometer, with the standard model retaining smartphone connectivity that allows riders to view notifications and riding logs directly on the display. Turn signals remain halogen units rather than LED, a detail that has stayed consistent with the motorcycle’s specification since its last major update.

The Ninja 500 retains a trellis frame, a semi-floating front brake disc measuring 310 millimeters, the same disc size Kawasaki uses on its larger ZX-6R model, dual-channel anti-lock braking, and 17-inch wheels across both wheel positions. Kawasaki quotes a claimed top speed of 190 kilometers per hour for the standard model, along with a curb weight of 171 kilograms, and rates the motorcycle’s fuel efficiency between 25 and 26 kilometers per liter, according to figures reported by BikeAdvice.

Despite the largely unchanged specification sheet, multiple outlets covering the launch noted that the Ninja 500 continues to lack several features commonly found on rival motorcycles in its segment, including cruise control, a bidirectional quick-shifter, tire pressure monitoring, multiple selectable ride modes, and electronic wheelie or slide control systems. Autopunditz, in its review of the 2027 update, characterized the launch as largely administrative in nature given the absence of meaningful new features, while noting that holding the price steady rather than increasing it again represented a modest positive for prospective buyers. The outlet compared the situation unfavorably to the locally manufactured Aprilia RS 457, suggesting Kawasaki’s continued reliance on completely built-up and completely knocked-down import pricing structures leaves the Ninja 500 facing a more difficult value proposition against domestically produced competitors.

In the middleweight sportbike segment, the Ninja 500 continues to compete directly against rivals including the Aprilia RS 457, Yamaha R3 and KTM RC 390, a category where feature differentiation and pricing have become increasingly competitive in recent years. The previous MY2026 Ninja 500, introduced in June 2026, had added E20 ethanol-blend fuel compatibility alongside a 10,000-rupee price increase over its predecessor, making the MY2027 update the first in the model’s recent history to hold pricing steady rather than continuing that upward trend.

LOS ANGELES — Giadzy, a gluten-free pasta manufacturer, from television chef Giada De Laurentiis, is making its nationwide retail debut and launching its pasta collection at Sprouts Farmers Market stores.

The company’s pasta collection features casarecce, mezzi rigatoni, stelline and taccole corte varieties. Each pasta is formulated with non-GMO corn, rice flours, spring water. The products also are made without emulsifiers or preservatives.

“To me, pasta is sacred,” De Laurentiis said. “It’s the dish that brings my family to the table, and I never wanted my gluten-free friends to feel like they had to settle for something different.” 

Companies featured include Johnsey Estates, FleetEV, Blake Morgan, Browne Jacobson and Mor Cleaning

Owner of the 140-acre Mamhilad Park Estate near Pontypool, Johnsey Estates, has appointed former PwC partner Rob Lewis to its board.

Mr Lewis retired as a deals partner at PwC earlier this year, where his corporate restructuring experience included the commercial property sector. He grew up in Cardiff and went to university in Swansea before starting as a graduate trainee at PwC’s Cardiff office.

During his 36 years with the firm, he progressed into roles including regional chair for Wales and the west of England and chief operating officer of PwC’s UK restructuring team. He is also a trustee of the London Welsh Centre and canon treasurer of Llandaff Cathedral.

Johnsey Estates ownership of Mamhilad Park Estate, near Pontypool, dates back to the 1980s. Originally home to the first UK base for the former British Nylon Spinners (BNS) manufacturing centre, today the estate also includes the adjacent land, known locally as the Parke-Davis site, which Johnsey Estates purchased in the 1990s.

Since then, and particularly over the past decade, Mamhilad Park Estate has been one of the largest regeneration projects in south east Wales, including its designation as a key mixed-use site in Torfaen County Borough Council’s local development plan.

Johnsey Estates executive chair, James Crawford, said: “Rob’s commercial acumen and regeneration experience are unrivalled and sought-after which, coupled with his particular understanding of and passion for Wales, make this an excellent appointment for us. We are delighted to welcome him.

Mr Lewis said: “I’m really looking forward to working with the team here on the next stage of the company’s evolution. While UK commercial property is facing considerable challenges, Mamhilad Park Estate is a very special place, with its industrial heritage, picturesque setting and prime location.

“The team here sees its role as working with occupiers to support their growth, and I immediately liked that really clear focus on commercial property as a driver for company success. And, of course, it’s great to be working back in Wales again with a well-regarded local business.”

Mr Lewis is also a non-executive director of Victoria Square Woking, the Woking Borough Council-owned development company delivering the town centre’s regeneration programme.

Browne Jacobson

Law firm Browne Jacobson has appointed Paul Duggan partner. Based at the firm’s Cardiff office heading up its banking and finance team. The appointment comes at a moment of significant growth for the Cardiff office team, which moved into a new permanent 9,500 sq ft office at One Central Square in January, having expanded from seven to more than 50 people over the past three years.

Mr Duggan joins nine partners and three legal directors already based in the Welsh capital.

He advises on a wide range of debt finance transactions, with a particular focus on acquisitions, management buy-outs and refinancings. He acts for banks and lenders, corporate borrowers, sponsors and private equity houses, as well as not-for-profit organisations and public sector bodies.

Mr Duggan said: “Browne Jacobson is exactly the right firm to be building a banking and finance practice here in Cardiff. The office has grown at pace, and I’m excited by the energy and intent behind the firm’s investment in Wales. I want to be part of building something lasting here, bringing banking and finance advice to clients across Wales and the wider UK.”

Tim Edds, partner and head of Cardiff at Browne Jacobson, said: “Paul is a significant appointment for our Cardiff office. Bringing in a dedicated banking and finance partner of his calibre reflects both where we are now and where we are going. He is exactly the kind of lawyer clients in this market need: technically excellent, commercially minded and straightforward to work with. Combined with the recent additions to our real estate and construction teams, we have a genuinely comprehensive offering in Cardiff.”

FleetEV

Cardiff-based electric vehicle provider FleetEV has appointed Shannon Jenkins as commercial and public sector account manager as the business continues to expand its support for organisations transitioning to electric fleets.

Bringing experience in account management and business development, her role will focus on building long-term partnerships, identifying new opportunities and helping customers navigate every stage of their electrification journey, from fleet planning through to salary sacrifice schemes and wider EV solutions.

She said: “FleetEV’s ambitious and collaborative culture also stood out to me, and I’m excited to contribute to the company’s continued growth while developing as part of a high-performing team.I’m looking forward to meeting new people, strengthening relationships and supporting the next chapter of FleetEV’s expansion.”

Jarrad Morris, founder and chief executive of FleetEV, said: “As demand for EV solutions continues to grow across both the public and private sectors, it’s important that we continue investing in talented people who can build trusted, long-term relationships with our customers.

“Shannon brings great energy, commercial experience and a genuine commitment to helping organisations find the right solutions for their fleets. She’ll play an important role as we continue to grow our customer base and support more businesses and public sector organisations on their transition to electric vehicles.”

Blake Morgan

Blake Morgan has appointed Joanna Rees and James Williams, both based in the firm’s Cardiff office, as business group heads for its construction and corporate teams respectively, with responsibility spanning the firm’s operations across the UK.

Ms Rees takes on the leadership of the firm’s construction business group, succeeding Richard Wade, who led the team for 12 years. The construction team comprises 22 lawyers across the firm, including six based in Wales.

Mr Williams takes over as business group head for corporate from Simon Staples, who led the group while also serving as an elected member of the firm’s Board. The corporate team has 37 lawyers across Blake Morgan, nine of whom are based in Wales.

Mike Wilson, managing partner at Blake Morgan, said: “Congratulations to Jo and James on their appointments as business group heads for construction and corporate. They both bring considerable experience and a clear commitment to their teams, and I look forward to seeing them build on the strong foundations laid by Richard and Simon.

“I would also like to thank Richard Wade and Simon Staples for their contributions as business group heads. We are very grateful to them both for their dedication during their time leading their respective teams.”

Ms Rees said:“I am delighted to take on this role and to build on the excellent foundations Richard has laid over the past 12 years. We have a talented national Construction team, and I am looking forward to working with them to develop the practice further and continue delivering strong results for our clients.”

Mr Williams said: “It is a privilege to lead the corporate team, and I am grateful to Simon for everything he has put into the role. We have an exceptional group of legal professionals in our national corporate team, and I am incredibly excited about what we can achieve together for our clients at a time of dynamic growth for our practice.”

Lee Fisher, co-head of the Wales Office at Blake Morgan, said:“We are delighted to see Jo and James take on these national leadership roles. It is a real statement of the quality of our people here in Wales.

“Both Jo and James are highly regarded by clients and colleagues alike, and this is a well-deserved recognition of their expertise and leadership. We look forward to the continued growth of their teams under their direction.”

Môr Cleaning

Môr Cleaning has appointed entrepreneur Rayner Mayers as a non-executive director to support ambitious growth plans.

The Barry-based commercial cleaning company, founded by Kirsty Hosking, plans to create up to 50 new jobs over the next 12 months as it sets its sights on expanding its commercial presence across South Wales.

Ms Mayers brings more than 18 years of business and commercial cleaning experience, including first-hand experience of building and scaling her previous Welsh commercial cleaning company.

Managing director Ms Hosking said: “We’ve reached a really exciting stage in Môr Cleaning’s journey. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built, but I’m also very clear about where I want the business to go next.

As founders, it can be very easy to become consumed by the day-to-day running of a business. You know your clients, your team and your operation inside out, but there comes a point when you have to lift your head, look further ahead and start making decisions for the business you want to become, not simply the business you are today.

That was a major reason for bringing Rayner into Môr Cleaning. When I was considering who I wanted alongside me, it was important to find someone who had actually walked the path we’re now embarking on.”

“Rayner built a Welsh commercial cleaning business to 358 employees and achieved six consecutive years of recognition in the Wales Fast Growth 50 before successfully leading a Management Buy Out (MBO) in 2021.

She’s experienced first-hand the opportunities, pressures and challenges that come with scaling, and that experience is invaluable to me.

Our ambition is to create up to 50 new jobs over the next 12 months while continuing to expand our commercial presence across South Wales. But I want us to grow properly. That means investing in our people, developing strong leaders and ensuring the decisions we’re making today supports the business we want Môr Cleaning to become.

Ms Mayers said:“The first things that impressed me about Kirsty were her commitment to the cleaning industry, her passion for developing her team and her determination to make a genuine difference to her clients and the environments they operate in.

“Having built and scaled my previous commercial cleaning business, achieving six consecutive years of recognition in the Wales Fast Growth 50, I know first-hand that sustainable growth doesn’t happen by accident. I understand both the opportunities and the challenges that come with reaching each new milestone.

” Through every phase of growth we need to ensure the foundations are solid, and we are one step ahead of the potential growth pains that come with fast growing companies.

“That experience means I can support Kirsty and her management team not only in setting ambitious goals, but in putting the strategy, leadership and accountability in place to achieve them.”

Toys R Us is bringing its iconic toy aisles back to another American shopping mall as the once-dominant retailer continues a brick-and-mortar comeback that has nostalgic fans buzzing.

A new location is coming to Northridge Fashion Center in California’s San Fernando Valley, joining a growing roster of Toys R Us stores opening across the country, years after the chain shuttered its U.S. locations.

The mall’s website lists Toys R Us as “Coming Soon,” while the retailer’s website now shows more than 30 standalone and flagship locations nationwide.

An opening date for the Northridge store has not yet been announced.

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Toys R Us and Babies R Us signage is displayed outside a retail location as shoppers walk through the parking lot. Toys R Us has continued rebuilding its brick-and-mortar presence since its 2017 bankruptcy and 2018 U.S. store closures. (RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

News of the latest location quickly caught the attention of longtime Toys R Us fans, with some calling for the retailer to lean into its nostalgic appeal and bring back toys from decades past.

“They should do retro toy section for us grown ups who were a kid so we can relive our childhood memories back in the day,” one person commented on a post from What’s New SFV, a local social media page dedicated to happenings around the San Fernando Valley.

Another commenter appeared ready for even more familiar retailers to make a comeback, writing, “Now bring back JoAnn’s and Payless.”

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A view of Macy’s Toys R Us July 11, 2022, in Jersey City, N.J.  (Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy’s, Inc / Getty Images)

The Northridge opening marks the latest chapter in a yearslong effort to rebuild a brand that was once a fixture of American childhood.

Toys R Us, which once dominated toy sales in the U.S., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2017 after years of declining sales and under the weight of $5 billion in debt.

The retailer shuttered its U.S. stores in 2018 before the brand reemerged under new parent company Tru Kids Brands the following year.

In November 2019, Toys R Us opened a nearly 6,000-square-foot, smaller-format store at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, marking its return to brick-and-mortar retail in the U.S. A second location followed at The Galleria in Houston, Texas.

Both stores later closed in January 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Closing signs outside the Toys R Us store in Coventry, Britain, March 13, 2018. (Reuters/Hannah McKay / Reuters)

Brand management firm WHP Global acquired a controlling stake in Toys R Us in March 2021 and has since worked to rebuild the retailer’s physical footprint.

Later that year, Toys R Us opened a 20,000-square-foot flagship at American Dream in New Jersey.

The comeback expanded further in 2022 with the launch of hundreds of Toys R Us shops inside Macy’s stores nationwide.

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“Macy’s cannot wait to bring the Toys R Us experience to life in our stores,” Macy’s Chief Merchandising Officer Nata Dvir said at the time. “We hope Toys R Us kids of all ages discover the joy of exploration and play within our shops and families create special memories together.”

The partnership also delivered a significant boost to Macy’s toy business. The retailer said its toy sales during the first quarter of fiscal 2022 were 15 times higher than during the comparable period before the Toys R Us partnership.

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A classic Toys R Us store displays the iconic multicolored logo above its entrance. The toy retailer is expanding its brick-and-mortar presence in the U.S. years after shuttering its stores nationwide. (Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

Toys R Us then set its sights on an even broader return.

WHP Global announced in 2023 that it was partnering with Go! Retail Group to roll out additional Toys R Us flagship stores across the U.S. beginning in 2024, part of an expansion strategy the company dubbed “air, land and sea.”

“The Toys R Us brand is growing fast and our expansion into air, land and sea is a testament to the brand’s strength,” WHP Global Chairman and CEO Yehuda Shmidman said when the plans were announced.

Shmidman said the company had increased the brand’s global retail footprint by more than 50% since acquiring Toys R Us, with more than 1,400 stores and e-commerce sites across 31 countries at the time.

The company also expanded beyond traditional shopping centers, opening its first airport store at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and announcing plans to bring the brand aboard cruise ships.

The U.S. expansion has continued.

The Toys R Us website now lists more than 30 standalone and flagship locations nationwide, in addition to the brand’s presence inside Macy’s stores.

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The planned Northridge location is the latest sign that the retailer synonymous with generations of childhood wish lists is continuing to rebuild its brick-and-mortar presence across the country.

Fox News Digital reached out to Toys R Us and Northridge Fashion Center for comment.